Improvement in locomotive-pilots



R. 0. ME AD. Locomotive-Pilot.

No. 217,890. Patented July 29, 1879.

FIGJI 'W/TNESSESf mgmro N.PErERS, PHO'D-LKTNOGRAPNE UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIG.

REUBEN C. MEAD, OF HAMPTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCOMOTIVE-PILOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,890, dated July 29,1879; application film May 27, 1879. r e

. or animal crossing the track; instead of throwing the same off thetrack, and my invention is embodied in an improved form of pilot of thisclass, which consists, mainly, of a railed or guarded inclosure, open infront, and fitted with an inclined and pivoted bottom or platformadapted, upon coming in contact with an animal, to fall and serve toinclose and retain the same in the receptacle.

The invention also embodies minor features of construction, ashereinafter set forth.

The drawings annexed present in Figure l a longitudinal sectional viewof my improved pilot, shown mounted in the usual position on the frontof alocomotive; and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

As illustrated, the pilot may be described as a three-sided box orinclosure, the front side being removed or open, while the back a isfirmly secured to the front of the locomotive, which, with the twovertical sides I) c, rising on either side, thus form a receptacle orguarded inclosure, as will be readily understood. The platform or bottomof this receptacle d is pivoted on the axis 6 at the front end andbottom of the inclosure, and inclines upwardly and backwardly at aconsiderable angle, as shown.

The platform is held in the inclined and raised position by a weight orspring, f, preferably the latter, which is sufficiently strong toeffectually overcome the weight of the platform and maintain the same inthe position shown, yet will readily yield to allow the fall of theplatform as soon as any extra weight or pressure is brought to bearthereupon.

g is a tripping-bar, which projects out in advance, as shown, and ishinged at h to the front end of the platform (I, and ban gs at about thesame angle as the platform, project ing out beyond the same and beyondthe inclosing sides I) c, as shown.

This bar is connected at each. side or end by the cords it, which passover the rollers k to the back end of the platform (I, so that when theplatform descends the bar 9 is raised up in front of the receptacle, asshown by dotted lines, thus guardingthe open front thereof.

The action of the device is accordingly thus: The parts being in theposition shown in Fig. 1, should the locomotive advance against anyanimal or person on the track, the bar 9 will first strike the person atabout the ankles, and thus, tripping him up, cause him to fall upon theplatform d, which, at once'yielding to the extra weight, falls to itsfull extent, where it is held by the latch or catch 1, and at the sametime raising the bar g up in front of the receptaclefas shown by dottedlines, thus, as will be observed, safely receiving and preserving theperson within a railed or guarded inclosure, from which he may beremoved with probably little inj ury when the train is stopped. When thecatch lis released the platform d rises, its movement being limited bythe stops m, the bar 9 falls, and the parts again assume the positionfor action, as shown by full lines in Fig. 1. The latch l may beoperated by the engineer by means of a cord or rod extending to theengine-cab, or in any other suitable way.

It will be readily seen that the inclined yielding platform, which atonce descends under contact with the object collided with, and acts tosafely inclose the same in the receptacle, forms an important feature ofmy invention, in contradistinction from the rigid inclined bars of thecommon pilot, which act to violently deflect the object collided with,throwing it with great force upward or sidewise.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A life-saving locomotive-pilotformed of a three-sided receptacle or inclosure provided with aninclined yielding bottom or platform adapted to yield and descend undercontact with the object collided with, and act to receive and retain thesaid object within the re ceptacle or inclosure, substantially as hereinshown and described.

2. In combination with the three'sided re ceptacle and the inclined oryielding platform d, the hinged bar 9, connected with themovretaining-latch Z, substantially as and for the able end of theplatform, and arranged to rise purpose set forth. over the open front ofthe receptacle 0n the descent of the platform, substantially as here-REUBEN CASH MEAD in set forth. Witnesses:

3. The combination, with the three-sided re- H. B. SoHRoEDER,

ceptacle and the yielding platform d, of the GEORGE S. 000K.

